re not sufficiently familiar at that
time with the British hussar uniform to distinguish it from the
German. In all armies hussar uniforms bear a close resemblance. A
French officer, however, presently detected the situation. After
a skirmish the German hussars were driven off with the loss of a
few killed and wounded. But the raid evidently came out of the gap
as a surprise to the French. The citizens were promptly ordered to
their homes. Barricades were raised in the streets, and mitrailleuses
were placed in sweeping positions. An artillery engagement began at
Jemappe, nine miles above Namur on the left bank of the Sambre,
between Von Buelow's vanguard and the main French right. Later in
the day Von Buelow's vanguard artillery had advanced to open fire
on Charleroi and Thuin, seven miles beyond.

On Saturday, August 22, 1914, Von Buelow attacked Charleroi in full
strength. As we have seen, he had already practically settled with
Namur. Their main assault on Saturday was delivered on the Sambre
bridges at Chatelet and Thuin, below and above Charleroi, respectively.
Sometime on Saturday they succeeded in crossing to turn Charleroi
into one of the most frightful street battle grounds in history.
The conflict raged for the possession of iron foundries, glass
works, and other factories. The thoroughfares were swept by storms
of machine-gun fire. Tall chimneys toppled over and crashed to
the ground, burying defenders grouped near under piles of debris.
Desperate hand-to-hand encounters took place in workshops,
electric-power stations, and manufacturing plants. The normal whir
of machinery, now silent, was succeeded by the crack and spitting
of continuous rifle fire.

The French-Turco and Zouave troops fought with savage ferocity,
with gleaming eyes, using bayonets and knives to contest alleys
and passageways. House doors were battered in to reach those firing
from upper windows. Roofs and yard walls were scaled in chase of
fleeing parties. The Germans were driven out of Charleroi several
times, only to return in stronger force. Similarly with the French.
With each change of victors, the losing side turned to bombard
with a torrent of artillery shells the war-engulfed city.

At nightfall on August 22, 1914, Charleroi burst into flames. A
dread and significant glow fell upon the sky. Absent were the usual
intermittent flare of blast furnaces. The greater part of Charleroi
had become a heap of ruins. Those of its citizens